This invention relates to an infusion assembly which is selectively inserted into a bone and more particularly, to an intraosseous infusion assembly which allows liquids to be selectively infused or communicated into the marrow or traecula portion of a bone while reducing the likelihood that the assembly will traverse or pass through the bone and concomitantly reducing the likelihood that the assembly will be dislodged from the bone. This invention also relates to a method for using such an intraosseous assembly.
Drugs and other types of liquids or fluids are typically delivered to a patient by use of a needle or catheter which is typically and selectively inserted within the vascular system of the patient. The vascular system then communicates the received liquids or fluids throughout the patient""s body. While this arrangement does, in many cases, allow for the efficient and desirable transportation of the liquid or fluid into the patient""s body, its use is dependent upon the ability to place the catheter within the various peripheral blood vessels contained within the patient""s vascular system and the ability of these blood vessels to transport the received fluids throughout the patient""s body.
Frequently, these peripheral blood vessels collapse due to a relatively serious circulatory shock and hemorrhaging, thereby causing these peripheral blood vessels to be substantially inaccessible and/or substantially hindering or preventing these peripheral blood vessels from transporting the fluids within the body. Such a collapse may alternatively increase the difficulty in locating and/or utilizing these peripheral blood vessels to transport these fluids, thereby undesirably increasing the amount of time necessary to provide infusions of fluid within a patient. Moreover, use of such peripheral blood vessels is relatively difficult in pediatric patients since these pediatric type blood vessels are relatively small.
When the peripheral blood vessels are inaccessible or difficult to utilize, an intraosseous type of needle is typically inserted into the trabecula portion and/or aspirating marrow portion of a bone. Typically such intraosseous needles are placed within the sternum or within a bone which resides within a leg and which is near the surface of the skin. The intraosseous needle is typically and communicatively coupled to a source of desired fluid and causes the fluid to be communicated to the trabecula or marrow where it is distributed within the patient""s body.
While such intraosseous type needles and needle assemblies do allow such fluid to be desirably transported within a bone, they suffer from some drawbacks. That is, these needles oftentime traverse or extend through a bone since it is relatively difficult to determine the correct distance that these needles are to be placed within the bone and it is relatively difficult to determine the current position of the needle within the bone. The traversal of these needles through a bone causes discomfort and further injury to the patient as well as undesirable delaying the receipt of the fluid by the patient due to the need to attempt proper penetration of another bone. In many cases, such delays may cause death or irreparable injury to the patient.
Moreover, the placement of these intraosseous needles within a bone is xe2x80x9cunstablexe2x80x9d and the intraosseous needles tend to become dislodged from the bone, thereby causing an undesirable interruption of fluid transport, and endangering the life of the patient and causing further pain, discomfort, and potential injury to the patient.
There is therefore a need for a new and improved intraosseous needle and needle assembly which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated drawbacks of prior intraosseous needles and needle assemblies, There is therefore a further need for a method for intraosseously infusing fluid into a patient which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated drawbacks of prior infusion methodologies.
It is a first object of the present invention to provide an intraosseous infusion assembly which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated drawbacks of prior intraosseous assemblies.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide a methodology for infusing fluids into patients which overcomes some or all of the previously delineated infusion methodologies.
According to a first aspect of the present invention an intraosseous infusion assembly is provided for use with a bone containing member. The intraosseous infusion assembly includes a first threaded member; a second threaded member which is selectively inserted into the first threaded member and which includes a first needle which penetrates the bone as the second threaded member is selectively inserted into the first threaded member; a third member which is selectively inserted into the second member; and a top member which frictionally and removably receives the third member, the top member having a second needle which is selectively inserted into the reception member, the first needle, and the bone.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a method for intraosseously transporting fluid to an individual of the type having at least one bone is provided. The method includes the steps of placing a first needle into the bone; and placing a second needle through the first needle and into the bone.
These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention and by reference to the following drawings.